This Is Me and Jersey Fresh collectively started 23 races but secured just one win between them, yet their performance on the track doesn’t reflect their true talents. Both Thoroughbreds have found new fame in the show ring after retraining for second careers. Heath Gunnison’s This Is Me earned the prestigious title of the 2026 TAKE2 Thoroughbred League’s High-Score Hunter with 1,948 points—342 points ahead of Reserve Champion Red Magic, ridden by Katherine Carruthers. In the TAKE2 Jumpers division, Caitlan Brooks’s Jersey Fresh dominated with 952 points, surpassing Amy Coleman’s Reserve Champion Ulfberht, who scored 790 points.
Brooks, a professional trainer who runs River’s Ridge in Maryland with her husband David, expressed her long-held belief in Jersey Fresh’s unique qualities. Despite challenges such as prioritizing his show career and a setback from an abscess, Jersey Fresh consistently brings joy and success to her efforts. Brooks, a Maryland native and lifelong equestrian, shares how horses have always captivated her, even through a scientific career in biotechnology. Ultimately, her passion for Thoroughbreds brought her back full-time to the equine world, where she favors them above all other breeds.
Brooks described how her love for Thoroughbreds began with her first horse at age 16, a three-year-old off the track purchased instead of a car. She praises the breed’s intelligence, loyalty, heart, and eagerness, qualities she believes are unmatched. She’s also a strong supporter of the TAKE2 League, lauding its role in encouraging Thoroughbreds to transition successfully from racing to showing. Brooks has enjoyed participating in TAKE2 Classics and anticipates continued growth in the program.
Jersey Fresh, the 11-year-old bay gelding from New Jersey, was also honored with the TAKE2 Jet Run Award, which acknowledges aftercare organizations facilitating racehorses’ transitions to new careers. Brooks adopted him through Bonnie McRae’s After The Races program in Elkton, Maryland, which marked its 1,000th horse adoption milestone in February after 15 years of operation. McRae emphasized the dedication required to responsibly place racehorses in adopting homes and applauded the successful partnership between Brooks and Jersey Fresh as a shining example.
This Is Me’s journey began differently. Bred by Ryan Watson, Adolfo Martinez, and Heath Gunnison under the RAH Bloodstock banner, he showed promise in workouts but struggled to win races. After five starts, the partners agreed racing wasn’t for him, and he was retired in February 2020. Following a break to mature, his retraining began with the goal of competing in the 2021 Retired Racehorse Project’s Thoroughbred Makeover. Gunnison instantly recognized This Is Me’s potential as a hunter.
To broaden the experience, the RAH team entered This Is Me in a second division: Ranch Work, drawing on Gunnison’s background in Western disciplines. The gelding’s cow sense impressed, earning him fifth place in Show Hunters and second in Ranch Work. Gunnison views him as a prime example of a Thoroughbred’s adaptability beyond racing and believes TAKE2 highlights such possibilities for the breed’s future.
Though This Is Me excels in the show ring and demonstrated skill as a cow pony, his success in the TAKE2 League inspires Gunnison’s hope that others will embrace Thoroughbreds. He admits the breed’s popularity may never return to past heights but feels TAKE2 is effectively showcasing their potential in diverse disciplines.
This article originally appeared in the Horse Care section of the Paulick Report on September 28, 2026.
Fan Take: This story is a powerful reminder that Thoroughbreds possess incredible versatility beyond the racetrack, which is vital for sustaining their legacy and welfare. Programs like TAKE2 not only give these athletic horses a second chance but also enrich the sport by expanding pathways for Thoroughbreds and their fans alike.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
